For the day I took my vulva puppet on the Tyra Banks Show. Thanks to Joel McHale for the shout-out. Watch the episode of the Soup here.
Here are some still images from the Soup - first, me with the puppet.
Then, the Wondrous Vulva Puppet side-by-side with Bert and Ernie (you’ll have to watch the Soup to get the joke).
Wow. Words…cannnot…express…my feelings after reading this quote from Lenzism.com (read the full article here):
"…Holy Urethra Franklin Batman! Yes, Ty-Ty has officially lost it. The pinnacle moment of the episode is when Dr. Debby… pulled out her trusty "Vulva Puppet" explaining the female fajita. Now Imagine if one were to hook up with Ms. Piggy due to an inebriated state one evening at the bar and you’ll get the idea. I can’t even continue, just enjoy this clip." - Lenzism.com, Tyra’s Vagina Monologue: What’s Up Down There
The YouTube clip of me and my vulva puppet from The Tyra Banks Show that is referenced here has now been viewed more than 700,000 times which astounds and excites me, as I love to think that so many women and men are learning about the vulva - especially if they are laughing while doing so.
Thank goodness for Catherine Price - she gets it. In an article at Salon.com, Ms. Price describes the YouTube clip from The Tyra Banks Show (which - amazingly - has now not only gone viral on YouTube, aol video, and countless blogs, but has also been shown on VH1’s Best Week Ever and E!’s Talk Soup) and goes on to talk about how:
- unusual it is for the vulva to be featured on television
- the Wondrous Vulva Puppets - though new to mainstream TV audiences - are not new to many of us who found them through Houseochicks or Good Vibes
- Tyra Banks’ message of education and comfort regarding our own genitals is an important message that many women need to hear
I also like how even though Ms. Price is shocked that so few women know where they pee from (or rather that they don’t pee from their clitoris or their vagina), she never criticizes women - as some people have done on other blogs - for being "dumb" or "ignorant" about their bodies. Not all women have the knowledge, education, comfort or experience that other women do when it comes to their bodies - let alone the resources to have ever found or bought the Wondrous Vulva Puppets. Ms. Price’s article is definitely worth a read - please check it out here.
Looks like my time on The Tyra Banks Show, accompanied by The Wondrous Vulva Puppet, has been making headlines. Very sincere vulvalicious thanks go to the following web sites for educating women and men all around the world by posting the clips from the shows as well as related articles. Most of the coverage - and the posted comments - suggest that people get it. I just wish a few writers wouldn’t say that women are "dumb" if they think they pee out of their vagina or clitoris, or if they have never looked at their own genitals. Our culture - full of advertisements for femine "hygiene" products - makes many women feel like their vaginas are dirty or shameful. Then add on the fact that middle school boys make "vaginas smell like fish" jokes and no one ever teaches us about sex or our bodies in school (we need comprehensive sexual health education, folks!) - so what do you expect?
I think it was brave and kind for Tyra to tackle this topic and I applaud any woman for the steps she takes to learn more about her body - especially in a culture that doesn’t necessarily encourage it.
Here are a few of the web sites that have posted clips and articles related to Tyra’s "What’s Up Down There" episode. If you know of others, please email us with links to DrDebby@MySexProfessor.com
The Huffington Post: Tyra Opens Up Vagina Dialogue (includes some newer video footage - not just the puppet - but also what women call their vaginas)
Great headline: Vulva Puppet Hits The Big Time
Digg had the video in their Most Popular from the past 24 hours
Jossip: The First Rule About Vulva Puppets Is You Don’t Talk about Vulva Puppets
Jossip (yes, again!!): Department of All Thumbs
Lucy the Blog: A Dozen Lessons from Tyra’s Vagina (SUCH a funny article)
From Stereohyped: Vagina Puppets Are So Much Prettier Than The Real Thing (disagree with the sentiment but appreciate the discussion)
From 2snaps: Tyra Banks Talks HPV and Pap Smears Using a Vagina Puppet (well, technically it was a vulva puppet)
Phlamer: The vagina puppet on Tyra Show
The Blemish: Tyra Banks Is All About the Vagina
Jezebel: Jezebel Crashes The Tyra’s Show Vaginas Episode
Feministing: FYI: Vagina=Birth Canal
There are some amazing reader comments that accompany this blog post - check out the original posting here.
This is amazing - the YouTube clip of me and Tyra Banks discussing the parts of the vulva, using the Wondrous Vulva Puppet, has now been viewed more than 300,000 times in only about 24 hours. Check it out here.
Vulvas are the best!!!!!!!! (Okay, penises are pretty awesome too; I’m a genital nerd fo’ sure.)
Kudos to Tyra for talking about an area of women’s health that is all too often neglected.
The Louisville Courier-Journal has picked up the story of Tyra and I talking about all things vagina and vulva. Read the short piece by Angie Fenton here. Angie’s blog, by the way, is definitely worth checking out - not only is she a talented writer, but she also uses her blog to detail bodybuilding/fitness america pageant experiences - AND her exploits as the life of pretty much every party. Check it out here.
Just a reminder that you can catch me on The Tyra Banks show today talking about vaginas and vulvas - including a glimpse of my Wondrous Vulva Puppet. It really is something to behold (the puppet AND vulvas in general, of course). Check these local listings to see when the show airs in your neck of the woods.
Tune in to The Tyra Banks Show tomorrow (Monday) to hear Tyra and I talk about "What’s up down there" - including what to Perez Hilton is comedy (can’t blame him really) and to me is a great and totally fun opportunity to teach women about their bodies using my Wondrous Vulva Puppet. The above image is from a screen shot I took from Tyra’s site during her preview for the show - gotta love when she does the "eye pop" as she talks about Down There. See the full preview for the show here.
If you’re a woman who is experiencing vaginal or vulvar (external genital) pain, and you’d like more information or support, contact The National Vulvodynia Assocation.